A government agency bans a dangerous technique, but agents keep using it over 40 times anyway. This is the reality at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement right now. A recent investigation uncovered a troubling pattern where ice agents repeatedly use chokeholds and breathing restraints despite a clear ban. This goes beyond a few bad actors. It points to a systemic failure where accountability barely exists and human rights take a back seat. The documented cases, backed by video evidence, show enforcement gone unchecked and raise serious questions about agency culture and oversight.
When a Ban Exists Only on Paper
The ban was supposed to matter. After widespread protests and scrutiny over excessive force, federal agencies including ice officially prohibited chokeholds and similar restraints. The goal was straightforward: prevent harm and make sure officers use safe, proportionate methods during arrests. Yet investigators found more than four dozen instances where ice agents ignored this directive completely. They applied pressure to necks and restricted breathing, often when people were already compliant or restrained.
These were not split-second decisions in life-threatening situations. Many incidents involved people who posed no immediate danger. The tactics ranged from direct carotid holds to using body weight to compress someone’s chest and neck. All carry serious risks of injury or death. Victims report bruising, breathing difficulties, and lasting psychological trauma. The high number of cases suggests agents either lack proper training on the ban or simply don’t think it applies to them. This creates an environment where serious abuses become normalized, similar to how Delhi’s Childbirth Crisis: When Abuse Becomes Normal exposes systemic institutional failures.
Video Evidence That Cannot Be Ignored
The most powerful proof comes from video recordings. Many incidents were captured on body cameras and cell phones, providing undeniable evidence of agents applying banned restraints. Often these restraints were used on people already subdued, seemingly just to force compliance. These recordings cut through the usual conflicting narratives around misconduct allegations. They show what actually happens on the ground and challenge official stories with uncomfortable facts.
What makes this worse is the apparent disregard for consequences even when video exists. Internal reviews frequently conclude the force was justified. Disciplinary actions, if they happen at all, remain unclear and inadequate. This makes fixing systemic problems nearly impossible when oversight mechanisms consistently fail. For people trying to expose hidden wrongdoing, gathering evidence from various sources, sometimes like Amateurs Track Secret Military Strikes With Public Data, becomes the only way to reveal truth. The gap between documented abuse and actual consequences points to deep cultural problems in federal law enforcement.
The Accountability Problem
The biggest issue this investigation reveals is the massive accountability gap. While policies exist on paper, actual enforcement against agents remains weak. When officers violate clear rules without real consequences, it sends a message throughout the organization: certain policies are just suggestions. This creates a dangerous situation where agents might feel free to use banned tactics, believing they will avoid scrutiny. The implications touch human dignity, legal rights, and the credibility of federal agencies.
This goes beyond individual agents. It reflects the larger institutional framework that enables or fails to prevent this behavior. Demands for transparency, independent oversight, and stronger discipline are growing. The continued use of banned techniques by ice agents despite clear evidence shows a pervasive culture where some operate outside established rules, much like the unchecked pollution from the NC Textile Mill Dumped Toxins Into Water for Years. Until real systemic changes happen and accountability becomes genuine, the chokehold ban remains theater. For the full documented evidence, see ProPublica’s investigation that exposed these practices. You can also check the public discussion in this Reddit thread discussing the findings{rel=“nofollow”}.